Spain in WWI

How likely was it that Spain could have joined the first world war? Which side would they have joined on? Use our example of my Italy thread - say Italy joins in WW1 in 1914 and helps push France to the brink. Germany wants Spain to join and push France over the edge, while the UK wants Spain to join and help the French. Which argument carries more weight?
 
How likely was it that Spain could have joined the first world war? Which side would they have joined on? Use our example of my Italy thread - say Italy joins in WW1 in 1914 and helps push France to the brink. Germany wants Spain to join and push France over the edge, while the UK wants Spain to join and help the French. Which argument carries more weight?

This is a complicated topic. Essentially the Spanish Right either favored an alliance with the Germans or neutrality (though the Spanish Navy was friendly with the British). The Spanish Left either favored neutrality or joining the Entente. However some of the Leftists who wanted to join the Entente also wanted a reduction in the size of the Spanish military.

King Alphonso did not want to enter the war on either side. He had enough trouble in Morocco and a long involvement in the Great War could likely bankrupt his government. And as a neutral the war was good for the Spanish economy. Soon after the war broke out King Alphonso gave President Poincare his personal assurance that Spain would not attack France. He even offered to help in the transfer of French forces from North Africa. However he also did some favors for the CP like refueling U-Boats en route to the Med.

Under the turno system the government was dominated by the Center/Right during the early part of the war and the Center/Left during the later years. There is a good discussion of the politics here http://libro.uca.edu/boyd/chapter3.htm

Lastly there is the question of what the Spanish military could do. IIRC they had only 14 divisions and were weak in artillery.
 
Top